Fetters murdered her aunt so that she could steal her truck and money.
The Truth
“The record reveals defendant began planning to elope from Orchard Place in mid-October. Jessica Wilhite testified that during her conversations with defendant she explained Klehm had a lot of money and she (defendant) and Tisha Versendaal planned to kill
her and take her truck and money.”
“Tisha Versendaal was also a resident of Orchard Place. She testified she also had conversations with defendant about eloping. She explained defendant planned to kill Klehm by stabbing her and cutting her throat while she was sitting in a chair. Further, defendant had informed her Klehm had money kept in a safe….”
“Jeanie Fox was defendant’s suite mate at Orchard Place and accompanied her at the time of the homicide. She testified she and defendant each packed a bag and left Orchard Place together. As they were leaving, defendant mentioned to her that she was going to kill her aunt…. The two girls eventually made their way to the home of a friend of defendant and there obtained a small paring knife. Defendant joked about killing Klehm before leaving the apartment….”
“After the van left, the two girls went up to the house and Klehm let them in. At some point, defendant pulled Fox into a side room and again informed her that she was going to kill her aunt. Defendant then returned to the kitchen area where Klehm was sitting. Thereafter,
defendant struck Klehm on the head from behind with a kettle while Klehm was seated in the kitchen. Klehm got up and asked her what happened. Defendant then struck her in the head again with a frying pan. Defendant then asked Fox for the paring knife. She got on top of Klehm and attempted to slit her throat. Defendant then got a bigger kitchen knife and proceeded to stab Klehm in the back.”
“During the attack, Klehm was screaming and asked Fox for help. Klehm also attempted to reach for a phone in the kitchen area. Defendant told her ‘no’ and removed the phone from the hook. After the attack, defendant removed her bloody clothing. She then took some necklaces and began looking for the keys to her aunt’s safe and truck but was unable to locate them…. After police arrived defendant cried and stated repeatedly she had killed her aunt.”
Iowa v. Fetters, 562 N.W.2d 770, 773 (Iowa Ct. App. 1997).
Misrepresentation
According to Human Rights Watch:
“Emily was arrested for murdering her aunt, a woman that she ‘had no reason to harm and had
spent every summer and most weekends with since [she] was three years old.’”
https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/TheRestofTheirLives.pdf
Research from the Heritage Foundation’s Adult Time For Adult Crime.
